13 All Judah was standing before the
LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. 14 And the spirit of the LORD came
upon Jahaziel, son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of
Mattaniah, a Levite of the clan of Asaph, in the midst of the assembly, 15 and he said: “Pay attention, all of
Judah, inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat! The LORD says to you: Do
not fear or be dismayed at the sight
of this vast multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s.
Pay attention the Lord is calling you to battle—but do
not be afraid at the power of the secular world for the battle is not yours but
God’s. He calls us to action.
·
"You
are a force to be reckoned with! The battle for the soul of our culture is up
to you. This is your moment! I promise you, if you are faithful, you will
change the world!"
·
"Forty
years is a long time to restore this basic civil right to life, noting that the
Lord let the Israelites, and lets today's defenders of life, know that they are
not alone.”
·
"We
too are being tested on our own 40-year journey, and like the Israelites, we
have a choice -- to give in to discouragement, despair, frustration -- or to
draw closer to the Lord, to grow in love, to open ourselves to his promise of
salvation."
·
The
battle against abortion is the greatest civil rights battle of all time,"
has to start with each person.
·
"Before
we can change laws, we have to change hearts, starting with our own.
·
"Before
pro-life is a political agenda, it must become a personal agenda. Before we can
take on the culture of death, we have to become part of the culture of life, of
eternal life!"
As we battle for the life of innocent children, we must also be cognizant of the life of earth which God has charged us with being the stewards of the fruits of his creative work.
Protecting the Fruits of the Earth
Juneteenth[2]
Juneteenth,
also called Freedom Day and Emancipation Day, celebrates the abolition of slavery in the United States. On June 19,
1865, Union soldiers arrived in Texas to deliver news that President Lincoln
has issued the Emancipation Proclamation, freeing the enslaved. Although
Lincoln's Proclamation was issued on January 1, 1863, it took nearly two and
half years for word to travel from Washington to Texas. By then, Texas had amassed
more than 250,000 slaves.
Since 1865, Juneteenth has been informally celebrated throughout the country however in 1980, Texas became the first state to recognize it as an official holiday. Shortly thereafter, other states also proclaimed the holiday. Today, Juneteenth is a celebration of African American freedom, heritage and culture observed through songs, communal cookouts and parades.
Since 1865, Juneteenth has been informally celebrated throughout the country however in 1980, Texas became the first state to recognize it as an official holiday. Shortly thereafter, other states also proclaimed the holiday. Today, Juneteenth is a celebration of African American freedom, heritage and culture observed through songs, communal cookouts and parades.
Juneteenth Facts & Quotes
·
According
to the International Labor Organization, almost 21 million people are victims
of forced labor today, 11+ million women and girls and 9+ million
men and boys.
·
Juneteenth
is a combination of the words June and Nineteenth about the date
that slaves were freed in Texas.
·
The
people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the
Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute
equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and
slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that
between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at
their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be
allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in
idleness either there or elsewhere. - General
Gordon Granger,
Major General of the
United States Army, Issued June 19, 1865.
·
...I
do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated
States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the
Executive government of the United States, including the military and naval
authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons. -
President Abraham Lincoln,
The Emancipation Proclamation, January 1, 1863
Juneteenth Top Events and Things to
Do
·
Read
the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation, issued by President
Lincoln, declared all persons held as slaves within any State... shall be then,
thenceforward, and forever free
·
Visit
the Whitney Plantation, America's first slavery museum, to learn about impact
of slavery in Southern America. The museum contains exhibits, artwork,
restored buildings and first-person slave narratives about the lives of those
enslaved in Louisiana.
·
Sing
traditional Juneteenth songs. These include Swing low, Swing
Chariot, and Lift Every Voice and Sing.
·
Attend
the annual Juneteenth Emancipation Celebration at Emancipation Park, Houston
Texas.
·
Attend
a Juneteenth Musical Festival. These are held across the United States;
great ones can be found in Denver, Berkeley and Atlanta
- While stationed in Germany we would often saunter through the Fussganger Zone
“I think that I cannot preserve my health
and spirits unless I spend four hours a day at least – and it is commonly more
than that – sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields,
absolutely free from all worldly engagements.”
~ Henry
David Thoreau
·
The
world around us is moving at such a hectic pace, that we often forget to slow
down and smell the proverbial roses. Even our walk is at high speed, pushing
every inch of speed we can out of what is otherwise the most leisurely of modes
of locomotion. It isn’t just an opportunity for us to remember to walk it is,
more importantly, an opportunity for us to take a truly relaxed tack to the day
and choose to saunter.
History of Sauntering Day
Saunter: v, a walk in a slow, relaxed
manner, without hurry or effort.
·
This
holiday was formed by W.T. Rabe in 1979 as a response to the sworn enemy of the
Saunter, jogging. Jogging is a grueling attack on movement, with rapidity and
effort being the purpose at hand, and all joy being drained from getting around
by making each step as painful as possible. Perhaps we’re biased, but we
believe the saunter to be the unquestionably superior alternative. Sauntering
doesn’t just mean walking; it means walking as though the weight of the world
has been lifted from your shoulders. It means being free from stress and
strain, and instead focusing on the pure joy of walking. In fact, sauntering
specifically implies that you will be moving in a joyful manner.
·
Sauntering Day is your opportunity to head out into the
world and approach it with a deeply relaxed air, a moment of pure clarity and
joy, all while enjoying the beautiful world around you and everything it has to
offer.
How to Celebrate Sauntering Day
·
Give
yourself plenty of time today and do so with the intent of relaxing and truly enjoying
your journey to wherever it is you have to go. Saunter casually with pure
relaxation and take in the scents and sights. Greet others, and don’t let their
urge to move quickly infect yours. In fact, see if you can get them to slow
down and join you on your happy little saunter. The world will be better for
it, and you’ll be happier for it. Sauntering Day is your opportunity to leave
all the rush behind and just… Saunter… through your day.
Daily Devotions
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